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From: hartwell@apple.UUCP (Steve Hartwell)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: HTLV-III antibody test
Message-ID: <34922@apple.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Mar-86 00:06:13 EST
Article-I.D.: apple.34922
Posted: Wed Mar 12 00:06:13 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Mar-86 06:24:56 EST
References: <33@spdcc.UUCP>
Reply-To: hartwell@apple.UUCP (Steve Hartwell)
Organization: Apple Computers, Mac Development System Group
Lines: 24
Keywords: AIDS

My decision to not take the HTLV-III test was based on my doctor's advice.
There certainly are political concerns against taking it, most of which are
similar to registering for the draft, etc., in which organizations which
have no right to the information can often obtain it against our will.

But for me, the deciding factor was the consequences.  I asked my doctor
what his advice is to patients who test negative (no HTLV-III virus), and
he said that he recommends following the safe sex guidelines and reducing
the number of sex partners, to avoid exposure to the virus.  Then I asked
what his advice is to patients with the virus, and his advice was the same,
to avoid exposing their partners.

The "relief" I might feel from a negative test result would in no way
offset the anxiety I would certainly feel if I tested positive.  The odds
are too negatively swayed; I'd rather not know.

Steve Hartwell

-- 
Steve Hartwell, Apple Computer

{nsc, dual, voder, ios}!apple!hartwell	(UUCP)
hartwell@Apple.CSNET			(CSNET)
hartwell%Apple.CSNET@CSNET-RELAY	(ARPA)